View Full Version : Over two billion people eat insects everyday at Starbucks.
Geez!
The female cochineal insect is commonly consumed by North Americans at Starbucks in the form of red food coloring. Here's what you need to know about the ground-up insects that Starbucks puts in your Frappuccino :
This popular Starbucks frap gets its red color from the dye of ground up bugs. In an unexpected and disheartening surprise, it turns out that the Strawberries & Creme Frappuccino at Starbucks got its pink-red color from cochineal extract, which is a fancy way of saying ground-up bugs.
The exact ingredients for the chain’s drinks were either not well-known or not understood, because it took one concerned, vegan barista to notice the ingredient for the red sauce that goes into the frap and take a picture for proof.
The barista then uploaded the photo to a vegetarian website called This Dish Is Vegetarian to reveal that, in fact, the Strawberries & Creme Frappuccino was not vegetarian. Cochineal insects are native to Mexico and South America, living their tiny lives on prickly pear cactus plants. The female insects eat the red berries on the cactus and turn red from the juice, making their bodies one big concentration of red dye.
These females are harvested for about three months and are then collected to extract the dye.
http://www.trueactivist.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/frap1.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EHa5C5AePoE/T2EwboK8HiI/AAAAAAAAJx0/Q--eyXK3mDU/s1600/strawberry.JPG
Read More:
http://www.thisdishisvegetarian.com/2012/03/beware-starbucks-soy-strawberries-creme.html
http://www.trueactivist.com/this-popular-starbucks-frappuccinos-color-is-made-of-ground-up-bugs/
Innocent Warrior
19th May 2016, 23:59
Ew, that was silly, they should have just used the red berries. Stay classy Starbucks...lol.
Ew, that was silly, they should have just used the red berries. Stay classy Starbucks...lol.
Do you believe that story true my friend ? Despite all that may be published on the Internet. We must use good judgment and check it out.
In this article that I provided, a detail was missing...:blushing:
And this exercise is for those who do not taking the time to read all the information provided by the op.
This article was published in 2012, since then the Starbucks company removed the insect as a coloring ingredient. Now then, this is a case closed.. until today....
By browsing the web I found those articles this morning....
I had a smile about this same old, same old apparently new and my thinking was :
How gullible are peoples? You know...!
Alternative news got big problems about credibility....
What or who can we trust today ?
For sure Avalon :heart: C'est ma seule vérité ! Et je suis honnête!
The truth is out there say Fox Mulder ....
hAAlDoAtV7Y
shaberon
20th May 2016, 00:53
It's a pretty old standard dye.
And probably routinely foisted on vegetarians, like gelatin.
Innocent Warrior
20th May 2016, 01:03
Are you believe that story true ?
Yep, sure did, because I consider you a credible poster and assumed you had vetted it before posting but fair enough, point taken.
Enola
20th May 2016, 01:07
The last time I had a Starbucks it made me so full of negative energy I was in the worst horrible mood for two days. There was nothing to do about it except wait. Even when I did yoga there was too much to clear and it only helped for a little while. Although coffee in general seem to do that to me, but nothing as bad as that.
Are you believe that story true ?
Yep, sure did, because I consider you a credible poster and assumed you had vetted it before posting but fair enough, point taken.
Indeed it was a good and a credible story back in 2012. But not these day anymore.... I found incredible today that this story keep going on and on that why I posted here. Sorry if my credibility suffer I dont care. It was for the illustration and for Whitelove.
Good to hear from you. It's going to be interesting...for the outcome... Hug to you my friend :bearhug:
Innocent Warrior
20th May 2016, 01:14
Are you believe that story true ?
Yep, sure did, because I consider you a credible poster and assumed you had vetted it before posting but fair enough, point taken.
Indeed it was a good and a credible story back in 2012. But not these day anymore.... I found incredible today that this story keep going on and on that why I posted here. Sorry if my credibility suffer I dont care. It was for the illustration. Good to hear from you. It's going to be interesting...for the outcome... Hug to you my friend :bearhug:
It's all good, I have broad shoulders. :) Besides, you're right. :bearhug:
Are you believe that story true ?
Yep, sure did, because I consider you a credible poster and assumed you had vetted it before posting but fair enough, point taken.
Indeed it was a good and a credible story back in 2012. But not these day anymore.... I found incredible today that this story keep going on and on that why I posted here. Sorry if my credibility suffer I dont care. It was for the illustration. Good to hear from you. It's going to be interesting...for the outcome... Hug to you my friend :bearhug:
It's all good, I have broad shoulders. :) Besides, you're right. :bearhug:
Much love to you!
PurpleLama
20th May 2016, 01:24
Ah, but the story is true (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmine).
PurpleLama
20th May 2016, 01:29
It's a common food coloring. Natural coloring, anyone? Same with natural flavors (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castoreum).
chancy
20th May 2016, 01:50
It's a pretty old standard dye.
And probably routinely foisted on vegetarians, like gelatin.
Hello Everyone: Not to change the subject BUT most people obviously don't know where gelatin comes from....
Link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelatin
Enjoy because you will think eating bugs is ok after knowing the truth
chancy
If one needed to be reminded to never purchase anything from the corporate world but buy from the small and independent this would be it. They behave like poisonous spiders and the sooner they are removed the better, Scum.
Agape
20th May 2016, 10:48
It's a pretty old standard dye.
And probably routinely foisted on vegetarians, like gelatin.
Hello Everyone: Not to change the subject BUT most people obviously don't know where gelatin comes from....
Link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelatin
Enjoy because you will think eating bugs is ok after knowing the truth
chancy
Hi Chancy,
there are 2 kinds of natural sources that produce 'gelatine' , the vegetarian one comes from agar-agar (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agar), a type of algae .
Agar-agar is a natural vegetable gelatin counterpart. White and semi-translucent, it is sold in packages as washed and dried strips or in powdered form. It can be used to make jellies, puddings, and custards. For making jelly, it is boiled in water until the solids dissolve. Sweetener, flavouring, colouring, fruit or vegetables are then added and the liquid is poured into molds to be served as desserts and vegetable aspics, or incorporated with other desserts, such as a jelly layer in a cake.
Agar-agar is approximately 80% fiber, so it can serve as an intestinal regulator. Its bulk quality is behind one of the latest fad diets in Asia, the kanten (the Japanese word for agar-agar[3]) diet. Once ingested, kanten triples in size and absorbs water. This results in the consumers feeling fuller. This diet has recently received some press coverage in the United States as well. The diet has shown promise in obesity studies.[20]
One use of agar in Japanese cuisine (Wagashi) is anmitsu, a dessert made of small cubes of agar jelly and served in a bowl with various fruits or other ingredients. It is also the main ingredient in mizu yōkan, another popular Japanese food.
In Philippine cuisine, it is used to make the jelly bars in the various gulaman refreshments or desserts such as sago gulaman, buko pandan, agar flan, halo-halo, and the black and red gulaman used in various fruit salads.
In Vietnamese cuisine, jellies made of flavored layers of agar agar, called thạch, are a popular dessert, and are often made in ornate molds for special occasions. In Indian cuisine, agar agar is known as "China grass" and is used for making desserts. In Burmese cuisine, a sweet jelly known as kyauk kyaw (ေကျာက်ေကြာ) [tɕaʊʔtɕɔ́]) is made from agar.
In Russia, it is used in addition or as a replacement to pectin in jams and marmalades, as a substitute to gelatin for its superior gelling properties, and as a strengthening ingredient in souffles and custards. Another use of agar-agar is in ptich'ye moloko (bird's milk), a rich jellified custard (or soft meringue) used as a cake filling or chocolate-glazed as individual sweets. Agar-agar may also be used as the gelling agent in gel clarification, a culinary technique used to clarify stocks, sauces, and other liquids.
Mexico has traditional candies made out of Agar gelatin, most of them in colorful, half-circle shapes that resemble a melon or watermelon fruit slice, and commonly covered with sugar. They are known in Spanish as Dulce de Agar (Agar sweets)
Agar-agar is an allowed nonorganic/nonsynthetic additive used as a thickener, gelling agent, texturizer, moisturizer, emulsifier, flavor enhancer, and absorbent in certified organic foods.
It should be determinable from your consumer food product packing information whether the 'jelly' they used originated from animal or vegetable protein.
It is written there usually .
As a rule of thumb and unless you're shopping from certified vegan/vegetarian stores, the 'gelatine' in aspics tends to be animal gelatine but one they use for puddings, yoghurts, or jelly beans is usually vegetarian .
Keep checking the packs if this concerns you . Vegetable -agar- gelatine is also much lighter in consistence ( almost tasteless in natural state ) and density
while animal gelatine is sought for high content of collagen and may help people with chronic joint and skin ailments ( well, if it was the only thing they ate .... )
Where carmine (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmine) is concerned it's been probably in use for ages,
I figured it out from my sweets packet label 35 years ago .. and felt totally disgusted and confused , like , why am I eating this ( my relationship to insects was research oriented ..but I had panic reactions to anything small crawling around me and would never, ever , put it to my mouth ).
It seems that its use is now fortunately reduced and replaced with fruit and veg sources colourings in sweets due to allergic reactions this can cause to sensitive individuals but please , always read your labels.
As of January 2012, EFSA has changed the way they allow use of Carmine E120 for pharmaceutical products. The EFSA had raised concerns over the increasing number of allergic reactions to carmine derived from insects (E120.360), when used within the British pharmacopeia. Pharmaceutical products which had previously contained insect-derived carmine, have been replaced with a synthesized version of the food colorant. Internal studies have shown that the new formulations of popular anti-nausea and weight-gain liquid medication had a significantly lower risk in terms of allergic reactions.[citation needed] The new formulation is known to be of plant origin, using calcium oxide in order to gauge color depth.
Gummy bears too it seems are mostly non-veg . I don't like the taste anymore , anyway ..
:facepalm:
Did You See Them
20th May 2016, 11:53
Been around and used for years - OK it's not great if companies using cochineal are not informing their vegetarian customers but at the end of the day I'm happy to consume cochineal as part of my diet over and above any fake chemical colouring made in a "lab" !
Cochineal is quite an expensive dye and normally only found in quality products - quite surprised to see Starbucks using it given it's price point.
Akasha
20th May 2016, 11:56
Cochineal, also known as carmine is listed as E120 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmine) in the E number additives list (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_number). Just thought I'd mention it as it could well be masquerading behind its seemingly benign E number status.
Shellac is the other product that often sneaks under the taste (in both senses of the word) radar but it's just a secretion of the the lac bug (yum, that's ok then) rather than refined crushed beetles. Its corresponding E number is E904 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shellac). Shellac is used ubiquitously to coat fruit (and some candy - think jelly beans) with that appetizing shiny coating which occurs naturally but may be lost in cleaning. One more reason to buy organic fruit.
So far all the talk has been about ingesting these additives, but it should also be noted that shellac and carmine use is also widespread within the make-up, paint and ink industries too.
PurpleLama
20th May 2016, 12:10
It's a pretty old standard dye.
And probably routinely foisted on vegetarians, like gelatin.
Hello Everyone: Not to change the subject BUT most people obviously don't know where gelatin comes from....
Link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelatin
Enjoy because you will think eating bugs is ok after knowing the truth
chancy
Hi Chancy,
there are 2 kinds of natural sources that produce 'gelatine' , the vegetarian one comes from agar-agar (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agar), a type of algae .
Agar-agar is a natural vegetable gelatin counterpart. White and semi-translucent, it is sold in packages as washed and dried strips or in powdered form. It can be used to make jellies, puddings, and custards. For making jelly, it is boiled in water until the solids dissolve. Sweetener, flavouring, colouring, fruit or vegetables are then added and the liquid is poured into molds to be served as desserts and vegetable aspics, or incorporated with other desserts, such as a jelly layer in a cake.
Agar-agar is approximately 80% fiber, so it can serve as an intestinal regulator. Its bulk quality is behind one of the latest fad diets in Asia, the kanten (the Japanese word for agar-agar[3]) diet. Once ingested, kanten triples in size and absorbs water. This results in the consumers feeling fuller. This diet has recently received some press coverage in the United States as well. The diet has shown promise in obesity studies.[20]
One use of agar in Japanese cuisine (Wagashi) is anmitsu, a dessert made of small cubes of agar jelly and served in a bowl with various fruits or other ingredients. It is also the main ingredient in mizu yōkan, another popular Japanese food.
In Philippine cuisine, it is used to make the jelly bars in the various gulaman refreshments or desserts such as sago gulaman, buko pandan, agar flan, halo-halo, and the black and red gulaman used in various fruit salads.
In Vietnamese cuisine, jellies made of flavored layers of agar agar, called thạch, are a popular dessert, and are often made in ornate molds for special occasions. In Indian cuisine, agar agar is known as "China grass" and is used for making desserts. In Burmese cuisine, a sweet jelly known as kyauk kyaw (ေကျာက်ေကြာ) [tɕaʊʔtɕɔ́]) is made from agar.
In Russia, it is used in addition or as a replacement to pectin in jams and marmalades, as a substitute to gelatin for its superior gelling properties, and as a strengthening ingredient in souffles and custards. Another use of agar-agar is in ptich'ye moloko (bird's milk), a rich jellified custard (or soft meringue) used as a cake filling or chocolate-glazed as individual sweets. Agar-agar may also be used as the gelling agent in gel clarification, a culinary technique used to clarify stocks, sauces, and other liquids.
Mexico has traditional candies made out of Agar gelatin, most of them in colorful, half-circle shapes that resemble a melon or watermelon fruit slice, and commonly covered with sugar. They are known in Spanish as Dulce de Agar (Agar sweets)
Agar-agar is an allowed nonorganic/nonsynthetic additive used as a thickener, gelling agent, texturizer, moisturizer, emulsifier, flavor enhancer, and absorbent in certified organic foods.
It should be determinable from your consumer food product packing information whether the 'jelly' they used originated from animal or vegetable protein.
It is written there usually .
As a rule of thumb and unless you're shopping from certified vegan/vegetarian stores, the 'gelatine' in aspics tends to be animal gelatine but one they use for puddings, yoghurts, or jelly beans is usually vegetarian .
Keep checking the packs if this concerns you . Vegetable -agar- gelatine is also much lighter in consistence ( almost tasteless in natural state ) and density
while animal gelatine is sought for high content of collagen and may help people with chronic joint and skin ailments ( well, if it was the only thing they ate .... )
Where carmine (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmine) is concerned it's been probably in use for ages,
I figured it out from my sweets packet label 35 years ago .. and felt totally disgusted and confused , like , why am I eating this ( my relationship to insects was research oriented ..but I had panic reactions to anything small crawling around me and would never, ever , put it to my mouth ).
It seems that its use is now fortunately reduced and replaced with fruit and veg sources colourings in sweets due to allergic reactions this can cause to sensitive individuals but please , always read your labels.
As of January 2012, EFSA has changed the way they allow use of Carmine E120 for pharmaceutical products. The EFSA had raised concerns over the increasing number of allergic reactions to carmine derived from insects (E120.360), when used within the British pharmacopeia. Pharmaceutical products which had previously contained insect-derived carmine, have been replaced with a synthesized version of the food colorant. Internal studies have shown that the new formulations of popular anti-nausea and weight-gain liquid medication had a significantly lower risk in terms of allergic reactions.[citation needed] The new formulation is known to be of plant origin, using calcium oxide in order to gauge color depth.
Gummy bears too it seems are mostly non-veg . I don't like the taste anymore , anyway ..
:facepalm:
http://yummyearth.com
Try the gummy bears from this (organic) company, and you will thank me.
(Sorry, Akasha, gummy bears/worms aren't vegan, but the rest of their candies are.)
Agape
20th May 2016, 12:44
They could simply use carrot extract ( and other plant based extracts ) instead but the awareness of plant based diet has been traditionally low in so called modern human cultures.
If you ever visit traditional Indian ( as in India ) sweet shop you'd be amazed at the variety of tastes and colours and ingredients being used , NONE of which are animal sourced ( includes no insects ) or artificial additives .
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h68/Aikatwo/d.jpg (http://s61.photobucket.com/user/Aikatwo/media/d.jpg.html)
Carrots ( in all varieties ) are known for group of carotenoids (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carotenoid) that are not only healthy for you but produce long lasting and natural colouring effect , for example.
Carotenoids serve two key roles in plants and algae: they absorb light energy for use in photosynthesis, and they protect chlorophyll from photodamage.[2] Carotenoids that contain unsubstituted beta-ionone rings (including beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin and gamma-carotene) have vitamin A activity (meaning that they can be converted to retinol), and these and other carotenoids can also act as antioxidants. In the eye, certain other carotenoids (lutein, astaxanthin,[3] and zeaxanthin) apparently act directly to absorb damaging blue and near-ultraviolet light, in order to protect the macula of the retina, the part of the eye with the sharpest vision.
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h68/Aikatwo/carrot-colour-mix.jpg (http://s61.photobucket.com/user/Aikatwo/media/carrot-colour-mix.jpg.html)
Agape
20th May 2016, 12:47
http://yummyearth.com
Try the gummy bears from this (organic) company, and you will thank me.
(Sorry, Akasha, gummy bears/worms aren't vegan, but the rest of their candies are.)
Looks good yes , thanks. I had some of those ( can't remember when ) but they taste completely different than their artificial brothers . :bearhug:
Slightly off topic:
Castoreum Extract - Used for Raspberry, Vanilla and Strawberry Flavouring. Comes from Beaver scent glands.
Link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castoreum
Mark (Star Mariner)
20th May 2016, 12:54
There are other reasons to avoid Starbucks and their like. They are little more than sponsored 'get a fix outlets' in your local high street or shopping centre, or "official legal corporate poisoners of the people", which will never do you any good at all. I've never stepped foot into Starbucks, nor would I ever. Consider this recent story from the Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/feb/17/cafe-chains-selling-drinks-25-teaspoons-sugar-starbucks-costa-coffee) that hit UK headlines.
Millions of Britons are putting their health at risk by ordering hot chocolate and other trendy chai drinks that contain staggering amounts of sugar – up to 25 teaspoons – in just one serving.
The campaign group named Starbucks’s Hot Mulled Fruit (grape with chai, orange and cinnamon venti) as the worst offender. At 25 teaspoons of sugar it contains more than three times the recommended maximum adult daily intake.
Just quantify that for a second in your mind. With one cup, you are putting 25 teaspoons of sugar into your body!
Just quantify that for a second in your mind. With one cup, you are putting 25 teaspoons of sugar into your body!
I remember it was said at the gym never eat anything with suger in it for two hours after training because it would make your metabolism go crazy. So imagine what 25 teaspoons would do.
jonesalice34
8th July 2016, 07:51
Thankfully I've never tried it;)
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